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| Gujarat remains tense after Patel caste violence | Gujarat remains tense after Patel caste violence |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Tension prevails in India's Gujarat state where two days of caste-related violence has left eight people dead. | Tension prevails in India's Gujarat state where two days of caste-related violence has left eight people dead. |
| Fresh clashes were reported overnight and the army has been deployed to maintain peace. | Fresh clashes were reported overnight and the army has been deployed to maintain peace. |
| A curfew has been imposed, after members of the influential Patel community, demanding quotas in government jobs, clashed with the police and local people. | A curfew has been imposed, after members of the influential Patel community, demanding quotas in government jobs, clashed with the police and local people. |
| PM Narendra Modi has urged the people of his home state to maintain peace. | PM Narendra Modi has urged the people of his home state to maintain peace. |
| Clashes broke out late on Tuesday when police briefly detained the protesters' firebrand leader Hardik Patel, who had hours earlier led a massive rally in Ahmedabad. | Clashes broke out late on Tuesday when police briefly detained the protesters' firebrand leader Hardik Patel, who had hours earlier led a massive rally in Ahmedabad. |
| Eight people, including a policeman and a father and son, have been killed in the violence and at least a dozen policemen injured. | Eight people, including a policeman and a father and son, have been killed in the violence and at least a dozen policemen injured. |
| About 40 police stations and 70 buses have been set ablaze. | About 40 police stations and 70 buses have been set ablaze. |
| The main city of Ahmedabad was calm on Thursday and shops and businesses were beginning to reopen in some areas, the AFP news agency reported. | |
| The BBC Hindi's Ankur Jain in Ahmedabad says overnight clashes between the police and protesters were reported from Surat, Vapi and Rajkot. A policeman who was injured in the clashes in Surat died in hospital late on Wednesday. | The BBC Hindi's Ankur Jain in Ahmedabad says overnight clashes between the police and protesters were reported from Surat, Vapi and Rajkot. A policeman who was injured in the clashes in Surat died in hospital late on Wednesday. |
| Mr Patel has said that the "policemen guilty of killing protesters" should be "suspended in 48 hours and charged with murder". | Mr Patel has said that the "policemen guilty of killing protesters" should be "suspended in 48 hours and charged with murder". |
| He has also appealed to the members of his community to stop supplying vegetables in towns and cities. | He has also appealed to the members of his community to stop supplying vegetables in towns and cities. |
| The funerals of those killed in the violence is expected to take place on Thursday amid tight security, our correspondent says. | The funerals of those killed in the violence is expected to take place on Thursday amid tight security, our correspondent says. |
| Read more: Hardik Patel - face of Gujarat caste protests | Read more: Hardik Patel - face of Gujarat caste protests |
| Gujarat has been particularly alert to incidents of violence since 2002 when religious riots left at least 1,000 people dead, most of them Muslims. | Gujarat has been particularly alert to incidents of violence since 2002 when religious riots left at least 1,000 people dead, most of them Muslims. |
| Patels, who comprise some 20% of Gujarat's population, control India's thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry and are among the most prosperous businessmen and farmers in Gujarat. | Patels, who comprise some 20% of Gujarat's population, control India's thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry and are among the most prosperous businessmen and farmers in Gujarat. |
| But they complain that they are denied college places because of affirmative action to ensure those below them in India's complex social structure have access. | But they complain that they are denied college places because of affirmative action to ensure those below them in India's complex social structure have access. |
| And they say they have been affected by a slowdown in small and medium industries in Gujarat which has led to a drying up of employment opportunities. | And they say they have been affected by a slowdown in small and medium industries in Gujarat which has led to a drying up of employment opportunities. |
| Patels are now demanding affirmative action and classification as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) so that they are entitled to quotas in state-run education centres and in government jobs. | Patels are now demanding affirmative action and classification as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) so that they are entitled to quotas in state-run education centres and in government jobs. |
| OBC refers to the castes - in the middle of the Hindu caste hierarchy - who do not face so much exclusion or isolation in society but have been traditionally socially and economically disadvantaged. | OBC refers to the castes - in the middle of the Hindu caste hierarchy - who do not face so much exclusion or isolation in society but have been traditionally socially and economically disadvantaged. |